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68 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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How large is Latin America?
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7,000 miles long. 3,200 miles wide
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What are two dominant physical characteristics in Latin America?
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enormous mountains and vast river systems
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What are the main mountain ranges in Latin America?
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Sierra Madre (Mexico), Andes (South America)
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In what ways have the mountains been a barrier?
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Separate nations from each other and divide regions within nations
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What are the major rivers in Latin America?
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Amazon, Orinoco, Rio de la Plata
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Where did most of the ancient civilizations develop?
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Mexico and Andes
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Why is the distribution of population in Latin America uneven?
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varied climate and topography
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Why is farming difficult in Mexico?
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lack of rain and rivers for irrigation
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What 2 nations are the world's largest oil producers?
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Mexico and Venezuela
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What are the Pampas?
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Argentine's immense plains; among the planet's most fertile areas
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Why do some scholars trace the origins of the Industrial Revolution to Latin America?
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Richness of Latin America's resources has had a significant impact on economic and development development of Europe and North America
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In what ways have the use of resources impacted nations in Latin America?
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effected economic development
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From what point of view is this book written?
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the perspective of ordinary people, who were exploited and oppressed but who resisted and endured
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What does Latin America's colonial past signify?
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economic backwardness, political arbitrariness, corruption and nepotism
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Why did Spaniards settle in the Native American heartlands?
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they knew these people were the true wealth of the Indies. Equally decisive for the character of the colonial period was the Hispanic background
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Why did warfare become a way of life for the Spaniards?
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the conquistadors came from a Spain where seven centuries of struggle against Muslims had made warfare almost a way of life
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What was the hidalgo?
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another word for noble; noble class
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How did social life in Spain mirror the society they eventually established in the New World?
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Produced a minority of men who denounced the crimes of their own countrymen and did all in their power to stop what Bartolome de Las Casas called the destruction of the Indies
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The book compares Spanish cruelty and intolerance to what other colonial power?
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matched by that of the genocidal Indian wars waged by American folk heroes like General and President Andrew Jackson
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What are three aspects of colonial order the book stresses in regards to the Spanish?
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predominantly feudal character of its economic structure, social organization, and ideology. colonial economy, externally dependent on export of precious metals and staples, became gradually integrated into new capitalist orders that arose in northern Europe in 17th and 18th centuries. Spain's colonial order was rooted in conflict between the crown and the conquistadors and their descendants
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According to the text, what did independent Latin America inherit?
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inherited almost intact the colonial legacy of a rigidly stratified society and an economy dependent on foreign countries for capital and finished goods
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It is probable that inhabitants of ancient America came from where? When?
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Asia across Bering Strait as early as 40,000 years ago and continued until about 10,000 B.C.
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Describe the 2 waves of migration.
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First brought extremely primitive groups who lived by gathering wild fruit, fishing, and hunting small game. Second brought big-game hunters who, like their predecessors, spread out through the continent
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Explain how it is believed agriculture developed in the Americas.
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People increasingly turned for food to smaller animals (deer and jackrabbits), and edible wild plants (esp. seeds), which were ground into palatable meal. This new life eventually led to the development of agriculture
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What 4 main effects did agriculture have on the Americas?
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people began to lead a more disciplined and sedentary life, the food supply increased, population grew, and division of labor became possible
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Why was maize such significant agricultural achievement?
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It was the mainstay of the great cultures of Ancient America
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Explain slash and burn agriculture and its drawbacks
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Trees and brush were cut down and burned, and maize or other staples were planted in the cleared area with a digging stick. This method soon exhausted the soil and a new place had to be used. Eventually, people had to move to a new ground
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How did irrigation help establish governments in Latin America?
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Food production could be increased with the aid of irrigation, which led to larger populations and a greater division of labor. The need for cooperation and regulation on irrigation projects favored rise of strong central govts and extension of their authority over larger areas
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tribe
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simplest, most primitive. usually correlated w/ difficult environments that sharply limited productivity. small, egalitarian groups who relied on hunting, fishing, collecting.
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chiefdom
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intermediate level. intensive farming. lost their autonomy and were ruled from an elite center by a paramount chief. ranking was important element.
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state
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required technological base of high productivity, usually intensive agriculture that made large use of irrigation, terracing, and other advanced techniques
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Why do some scholars believe the native population was doomed even if there had not been conquests by the Europeans?
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population pressure on scant resources may have played a major part in the collapse of Maya civilization of Central America. chronic malnutrition, high infant mortality, declien of population. linked to deforestation, loss of surface water, and overcultivated, worn-out soils, among other factors
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Formative/Preclassic
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2500 and 1500 B.C. centuries of haphazard experimentation with plants led to selection of improved, high-yield varieties. these advances ultimately produced an economy solidly based on agriculture and sedentary village life
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Classic
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began around opening of Christian era and lasted until approximately A.D. 1000. the term Classic refers to the flowering of material, intellectual, & artistic culture that marked this stage. no basic change in technology, but extension of irrigation works in some areas caused increases in food production & freed manpower for construction & technical tasks. population increased. in some regions genuine cities arose.
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Post Classic
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A.D. 1000 to 1500. repeated on a larger, more complex scale, teh rise-and-fall pattern of the previous era. chronic welfare and increased emphasis on urban living were distinguishing features
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When and where did the Olmec inhabit Mexico?
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(1500 to 400 B.C.), arose Olmec civilization of gulf coast lowlands, in central Mexican plateau and Central America
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What were important elements of Olmec civilization?
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ceremonial centers, monumental stone carving and sculpture, hieroglyphic writing, and probably calendrical system
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What were the principal Olmec sites?
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La Venta and Tres Zapotes, in modern state of Veracruz
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Describe Teotihuacan and its civilization
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estimated to have had a population of at least 125,000. on outskirts of the city lived large rural population that supplied metropolis with its food. seems to have been not only a major trading center but also a military state that directly controlled regions as remote as highland Guatemala.
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What was Monte Alban?
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Zapotecs erected a great ceremonial center that was also a true city
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What happened to these civilizations by AD 800?
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dramatic decline that led to a gradual cessation of building activity and eventual abandonment of ceremonial centers. there are various explanations for this decline: soil exhaustion, failure of water supply, peasant revolts against ruling priesthood, etc.
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Describe the Toltec empire
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Toltec armies overran northern Yucatan and established their rule over the Maya, governing from temple city of Chichen Itza
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Who were the Chicimecs?
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Nahuatl-speaking northern peoples who invaded Valley of Mexico
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Describe the rise of the Aztec (Mexica)
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1428, led by chief Itzcoatl, the Aztecs joined Texcoco and Tlacopan to destroy the tyranny of Azcapotzalco. joint victory led to rise of Triple Alliance for conquest first of valley, then much of Middle American world. Gradually the balance of power shifted to aggressive Aztec state
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Describe Tenochtitlan
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Aztec capital, had population between 150,000 and 200,000. oval island connected to mainland by 3 causeways that converged at center of city and served as its main arteries of traffic. few streets, their place was taken by numerous canals.
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Explain the economic life in Tenochtitlan.
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vast scale on which exchange of goods and services was carried on in great market of Tenochtitlan aroused the astonishment of conquistador Cortes.
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What led to the downfall of the Aztec empire?
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Aztec leaders lived in fear. deep sense of insecurity. mountain demands of Aztec tribute collectors caused revolts on part of tributary towns.
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What were the major achievements of the Maya?
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cultural achievement. no other group ever demonstrated such extraordinary abilities in architecture, sculpture, painting, mathematics, astronomy
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Where did the Maya live?
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region comprising portions of modern-day southeastern Mexico, almost all of Guatemala, western part of Honduras, all of Belize, western half of El Salvador.
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In addition to slash and burn agriculture, how else did the Maya subsist?
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practiced intensive and permanent agriculture that included highly productive kitchen garens with root crops as staples, arboriculture, terracing, and raised fields-artificial platforms of soil built up from low-lying areas
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What do glyphs reveal about the Maya?
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many of the glyphs carved on the monuments are historical, recording milestones in the lives of Maya rulers
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Explain Mayan religion
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gods should give them health, life, and sustenance. principal Maya divinities represented those ntaural forces and objects that most directly affected material welfare of people. supreme god in Maya pantheon was Itzam Na, creator god who incorporated in himself the aspects of many other gods; not only creation, but fire, rain, crops, and earth were among his functions or provinces. sun god, moon goddess, rain god, maize god, god of death. believed tha tnumber of worlds had successively appeared and been destroyed. believed in afterlife
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Why and how did the Mayans keep track of time?
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two almanacs. one was sacred round of 260 days, corresponding to pattern of ceremonial life. second cycle was solar year of 365 days, divided into 18 months of 20 days each. completion of these two cycles coincided every 52 years.
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What is significant about their use of a zero sign?
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in this system, the position of a number determined its value, making it possible for a limited quantity of symbols to express numbers of any size. its simplicity made it far superior to the contemporary western European arithmetical system, which employed Roman numeration consisting of distinct symbols for each higher unit.
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What were Maya codices?
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great numbers of sacred books the Maya had
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What is the Popol Vuh
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Sacred Book of the Quiche Maya of Guatemala. deals, among other matters, with adventures of heroic twins Hunahpu and Xbalanque, who after many exploits ascended into heaven to become sun and moon. written in post-Conquest times in Spanish alphabet by native who dres on oral traditions of his people
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What are some features of Mayan architecture?
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corbeled vault, or false arch. great facades richly decorated with carved stone and high ornamental oof combs in temples and palaces. inner walls were frequently covered with paintings.
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What did Diego de Landa do and why?
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bishop Diego de Landa, who burned 27 Maya codices as works of devil, nevertheless observed that Maya were very generous and hospitable. no one could enter their houses without being ofered food and drink
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Where and when did the Inca empire rise?
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in the highlands of modern Peru in the mid 14th century and by 1500 became mightiest empire of Ancient America
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What did the Chavin art style feature?
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features feline being, presumably a deity, whose cult spread over area of Chavin influence
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What were important achievements of the Mochica culture?
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build pyramids and temples, roads and large irrigation canals. best known for red and black pottery.
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By 600 BC the population shifted to what area?
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focus of Andean civilization shifted from coast to highlands
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Explain the rise of the Inca
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Incas had a body of myth and legend that ascribed a divine origin to their rulers and gave their warriors a comforting assurance of supernatural favor and protection. true imperial expansion seems to have ben in 2nd quarter of 15th century, in reign of Pachacuti Inca, crowned in 1438
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What did the Inca do to insure their control over conquered people?
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arsenal of devices tha tincluded spread of their Quechua language as official language of empire, imposition of unifyin gstate religion, and shred policy of incorporating chieftains of conquered regions into central bureaucracy
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On what was the Incan economy based?
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intensive irrigation agriculture capable of supporting without serious strain not only producers but the large Inca armies, a large administrative bureaucracy, and many other persons engaged in nonproductive activities
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Why were the Spaniards able to conquer the Inca?
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destroyed Inca political organization and dealt shattering blows to all aspects of Inca civilization
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Explain the legacy of Incan art
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marked by a high level of technical excellence. architecture was solid and functional, characterized by massiveness rather than beauty. tapestries of Inca weavers are among world's textile masterpieces. inca metallurg was also on a high technical and artistic plane
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What remains of the ancient Inca today?
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Quechua speech; numerous indigenous communities, or ayllu, still partly based on cooperative, principles; widespread pagan beliefs and rites of the people; monumental ruins. also lives in writings of Peruvian historians, novelists, and statesmen, who evoke the vanished Inca greatnes and praise the ancient virtues of their people.
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